Supporting and positioning mechanism for power tongs



N v- 96 J. L FLOSTER 3,288,000

SUPPORTING AND POSITIONING MECHANISM FOR POWER TONGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Jan. 28, 1965 z/'meJ ZQW/J FaJ fer INVENTOR.

ATTO/PA/E y SUPPORTING AND POSITIONING MECHANISM FOR POWER TONGS FiledJan. 28, 1965 J. L. FOSTER Nov. 29, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (far/7a.;Zew/J Fa: fer

INVENTOR.

ATTOPMFLV United States Patent 3,288,000 SUPPORTING AND POSITIONINGMECHANISM FOR POWER TONGS James Lewis Foster, P.O. Box 1351, WichitaFalls, Tex. Filed Jan. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 428,777 9 Claims. (Cl. 81-54)The invention relates to the connecting and disconnecting of sections ofwell pipe by means of power tongs and more particularly to mechanism forsupporting and positioning power tongs for such use.

The invention is capable of wide application in connection with theconnecting and disconnecting of sections of pipe and the like employedin well drilling and production operations and finds particular utilityin the making up and breaking out of strings of drill pipe during thedrilling of wells.

In the drilling of oil and gas wells it is customary to make use ofpower tongs for connecting and disconnect ing sections of drill pipe,such tongs usually being of a type having a frame formed at one end witha hollow housing provided with a central opening therethrough, andwithin which rotary head mechanism is rotatably mounted, to be driven bygear mechanism operated by a pressure fluid actuated motor carried onthe frame. The rotary head mechanism includes means engageable with thepipe when the same is extended through the central opening to rotate thepipe with the mechanism and which is disengageable from the pipe torelease the same.

In the use of tong mechanism of this kind, it has been customaryheretofore to suspend the tong from above by a cable, the tong beingsupported by the cable in a position over the well bore with its centralopening in axial alignment therewith for use in connecting anddisconnecting sections of pipe, and being swung aside and lowered by thecable to a stand-by location when out of use. The use of such cablesuspension means presents the disadvantage that the tong must bemanually swung into and out of position for engagement with the pipewhich greatly increases the labor and difiiculty in the use of theequipment. Moreover, the suspension of the tong for free swingingmovement greatlyincreases the likelihood of injury to the user or damageto the mechanism.

The present invention has for an important object the provision ofsupporting and positioning mechanism for power tongs by which such tongsmay be moved into and supported in an elevated position over the bore ofa Well for use in rotating a section of well pipe in the connectingtogether or disconnecting of such sections of a string of pipe extendinginto the bore and moved aside from such position and supported in anout-of-use position laterally away from the bore when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide power tong supporting andpositioning mechanism by which the position of the tong may be adjustedvertically while the same is supported horizontally above a well bore toallow the tong to be engaged with a section of well pipe at a desiredlocation to permit the same to be rotated relative to another suchsection located below in connecting or disconnecting the sections.

hydraulically operable means for elevating and lowering the tongswhereby the vertical position of the same may be adjusted as desired.

3,288,000 Patented Nov. 29, 1966 lcg A further object of the inventionis the provision of power tong supporting and positioning mechanismembodying means for movably supporting the tong for generally horizontalswinging movement into and out of position for engagement with a sectionof pipe to be connected into or disconnected from a string of pipeextending into a well bore and including means for allowing verticalrocking movement of the tong to permit angular adjustment of the tongrelative to the pipe to accurately position the tong for grippingengagement therewith.

Briefly described the invention comprises power tong mechanism forconnecting and disconnecting threaded joints of well pipe, including apower tong adapted to be grippingly engaged with a well pipe to rotatethe same and supporting and positioning mechanism for the tongcomprising inner and outer upright telescopingly arranged trackways andmeans for movably supporting the tong on the upper one of the trackwaysfor horizontal swinging movement bodily about an axis common to thetrackways to position the tong over the bore of a well for engagementwith the pipe and means positioned for coaction with the trackways toimport relative longitudinal movement to the trackways and to hold thetrackways in a selected position of longitudinal adjustment relative toeach other. By so supporting the tong, the tong may be moved bodily intoa position over a well bore and adjusted to and held at a desiredelevation for engagement with the pipe to rotate the same, and alsomoved bodily horizontally away from the well bore to clear the areaaround the pipe when the tong is not in use.

The above objects and advantages of the invention may best be understoodfrom the following detailed description constituting a specification ofthe same when considered in conjunction with the annexed drawings,wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the invention illustrating apreferred embodiment of the same and showing the supporting andpositioning mechanism with the tong supported in position for use in therotation of a section of pipe;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view, partly broken away and partly incross-section, of the invention as illustrated in FIGURE 1, looking atthe left hand end of the mechanism as shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view illustrating a different form of thesupporting and positioning mechanism of the invention and showing thesame with the tong supported in position for use; and

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the mechanism of the invention asillustrated in FIGURE 3.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail the invention isillustrated herein in connection with its use for the supporting andpositioning of power tong mechanism of a conventional type, such as thatemployed in well drilling operations for the connecting anddisconnecting of the sections of pipe of a well string. Tongs of thistype, such as that illustrated in the drawings are commonly constructedwith a main frame, generally designated 10 having at one end thereof ahollow housing 12, Within which rotary head mechanism is rotatablycarried, to be driven through the intermediation of suitable gearmechanism or other means, not shown, enclosed in a casing 14 forming apart of the frame, and which is in turn driven by a motor 16, operableby pressure fluid from any convenient source of supply under the controlof suitable valve means, not shown, of usual construction andarrangement. I The tong structure also commonly includes pipe holding orback-up means, such as that indicated at 18, which is constructed forengagement with a section of the pipe to hold the same against-rotationwhile the section above connected thereto is rotated by the tong tounscrew the section above therefrom. The holding or back-up device 18may conveniently be connected to the frame of the tong by a supportingbar 20, as shown in FIGURE 1, which is in turn loosely connected to theframe, as by means of a bolt 22, slidably extended through aperformation in the bore and which is surrounded by a coil spring 24 toallow limited movement of the back-up means relative to the housing 12to permit the pipe gripping means of the tong and back-up means toposition themselves properly on the pipe.

The bar 20, may be additionally supported for limited movement relativeto the housing 12, by an adjustable bracket 26 of generally U-shapeattached to the frame and through which the bar is loosely extended.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the tong supporting and positioningmechanism is of a type intended to be disposed in an opening in asupporting structure P, such as a derrick floor, drilling platform, orthe like, for movement to an extended position with the tong at adesired location above the floor or platform or to a retracted positionwithin the opening 0, as shown in FIG- URE 2. The supporting andpositioning mechanism comprises an outer pair of parallel, verticallydisposed side members 30, 30, having upper end flanges 32, 32 which aresecured to the floor or platform as by means of bolts 34, with themembers 30 extending downwardly in the opening 0 and connected togetherat their lower ends by a cross-piece 36.

The supporting and positioning mechanism also includes a telescopingframework made up of inner, parallel, spaced apart trackways 42, 42 andouter parallel, spaced apart trackways 44, 44, all of the trackwaysbeing of channel shape. The inner trackways 42, 42 are connectedtogether at their upper ends by a cross-member or plate 46, and theouter trackways 44, 44 are connected together at their upper ends bycross-pieces, such as that shown at 48 in FIGURE 2 between which theinner trackways may move vertically.

The outer trackways open outwardly toward the side members 30, 30 withthe rollers 38 and 40 extending between the flanges thereof for rollingmovement along the trackways when the trackways move vertically relativeto the side members. The trackways 44 are also provided with upper andlower rollers 50 and 52 respectively, rotatably attached thereto andwhich are positioned to extend between the flanges of the innertrackways 42, 42 for rolling movement therealong as the inner trackwaysmove longitudinally relative to the outer trackways.

Inwardly projecting stop lugs 54 are positioned on the side members 30,30 in position for engagement by outwardly projecting flanges 56 on thelower ends of the outer trackways to limit upward movement of the outertrackways relative to the side members, and the inner trackways haveoutwardly projecting flanges 58 at their lower ends positioned forengagement with inwardly projecting, upper end flanges 60 on the outertrackways, as shown in FIGURE 2, to limit the upward movement of theinner trackways relative to the outer trackways.

Within the framework formed by the trackways, a hydraulic cylinder 62 ispositioned centrally between the trackways with its lower end supportedon the cross-piece 36 and with the upper end of its plunger 64 slidablyextended into the lower end of a sleeve or spring cage 66 whose upperend is positioned to transmit an upward force to the plate 46 to liftthe inner trackways 42, 42 upon actuation of the hydraulic cylinder.Within the sleeve 66 a coil spring 65 rests at its lower end on theupper end of the plunger 64 in position to transmit an upward force tothe plate 46 at its upper end. The sleeve 66 thus forms a lost motionconnection between the plunger 64 and the plate 46.

I The hydraulic cylinder 62 is connected in a conventional manner, notshown, to any suitable source of fluid under pressure, under the controlof suitable valve mechanism, not shown, whereby the flow of fluid intoand out of the cylinder may be controlled to extend the plunger 64 orallow thesame to retract in the usual manner.

The power tong is supported on the plate 46, as by means of a rotatableconnection, shown at 67, between a pair of channel members 68, 68rotatably connected to the plate at one end and connected at their otherends to the frame 10 of the tong, as by means of a U-shaped element 70having a pivotal connection at its bottom, as

seen at 72, with the channel members, and whose arms are connected attheir upper ends to the frame 10 of the tong.

The spring 65 may be of a size to etfectively cushion the weight of thetong and inner trackway structure, so

that the tong may be raised and lowered by the hydraulic cylinderwithout substantial impact between the parts.

The above described preferred embodiment of the invention is shown inFIGURE 2 in its fully lowered or retracted position, and when the tongis to be used for the connecting or disconnecting of sections of wellpipe, the hydraulic cylinder 62 is actuated to lift the inner trackways42, 42 and the tong therewith to the desired elevation, whereupon thetong may be moved 1 into position for use by rotating the tong bodily,horizontally about the connection 67 and also by rotating the tong aboutthe connection 72. When the tong has 6 been positioned with the wellpipe T extending through the hollow casing 12 and through the back-upmechanism 18, with the connected ends of the pipe sections 6 between thecasing and back-up mechanism, the tong may be operated by the motor 16to grippingly engage the pipe to unscrew the sections or to screw thesame be moved upwardly and when the lower end flanges 58 engage theupper end flanges 60 of the outer trackways l the outer trackways willthen be moved upwardly until the lower end flanges thereof engage thestops 54.

When the tong is not in use it may be swung aside I from its operatingposition above the well bore, by rotation about the connection 67,whereupon the tong may be further rotated about the connection 72 toposition the tong in an out-of-the-way location until needed.

It will thus be seen that the form of the invention illustrated inFIGURES 1 and 2 provides a telescoping supporting and positioningmechanism whereby a power tong may be elevated and lowered to positionthe same at a desired elevation and whereby the tong may be movedhorizontally and adjusted to position the same over a well bore or tomove the tong aside when not needed for immediate use.

A somewhat different form of the invention is illustrated in FIGURES 3and 4, wherein the support mechanism is mounted on the floor or platformP extending abovethe same. In this form of the invention the tongsupporting and positioning mechanism includes an upright or post,generally designated 74 in FIGURE 3, comprising parallel, spaced apartchannel members 76, 76 forming upright trackways, attached at theirlower ends to a flat base 78, which is adapted to be secured to adrilling platform P or other supporting structure, as by means of bolts80. The trackways 76, 76, may be connected to the base 78, by means ofreinforcing angle plates, or the like, such as those shown at 82, 82,welded to the trackways and base or otherwise attached thereto.

A vertically movable carriage having parallel, spaced apart side plates84, 84, connected by one or more crosspieces, such as that indicated at86, is disposed between the trackways 76, 76, each of which plates isprovided with upper and lower rollers, 88 and 90, respectively,rotatably connected thereto and extending between the flanges of theadjacent trackway for vertical rolling movement therealong. The carriagealso has a cross-bar 92 connected at its opposite ends to the sideplates 84 which serves as a slide rest upon which the tong rests betweenthe trackways 7 6, 76, as best seen in FIGURE 3.

A hydraulic cylinder 94, similar to the cylinder 62, previouslydescribed, is centrally located between the trackways 76, 76 resting atits lower end on the base plate 78 and whose plunger is positioned totransmit an upward force to the carriage upon actuation of the cylinderto lift the carriage along the trackways, thereby elevating the tongtherewith.

The supporting structure also includes opposite, parallel spaced apartchannels 96, 96 connected at one end to the bottom of a U-shapedconnector 100 whose arms are attached at their upper ends to the frameof the tong.

The side plates 84, 84 are also connected by a crosspiece 102 locatedmediate the ends of the plates, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURES 3and 4 against which one end of a coil spring 104 is seated, whose otherend bears against a downwardly extending lug 105 attached to theconnector 100 and through which a rod 106 attached at one end to theconnector is extended, the rod being slidably extended at its other endthrough the cross-piece 102. By this construction the tong may have somelongitudinal sliding movement on the carriage between the trackways 7 6,76 which movement is restrained by the spring 104 to hold the tong onthe carriage and to allow some slight angular movement of the tongrelative to the horizontal.

The hydraulic cylinder 94 is supplied by pressure fluid in the usualmanner from any convenient source, under the control of suitable valvemechanism, not shown.

In making use of the above described form of the invention, illustratedin FIGURES 3 and 4, the tong is positioned on the carriage with the wellpipe T extending through the hollow casing 12 and the back-up mechanism18 of the tong as previously described, whereupon the tong may beelevated by supplying pressure fluid to the hydraulic cylinder 94 toposition the tong for gripping engagement with the pipe at the desiredlocation to efiect the unscrewing of sections of the pipe or thescrewing together of the same.

It will be apparent that the tong may move horizontally somewhatrelative to the carriage to allow the tong to adjust its position to thewell pipe and that the tong may also tilt vertically somewhat to allowthe tong to adjust itself to a position for gripping engagement with thepipe when the motor 16 is actuated to rotate the pipe. By thisarrangement, in the event of some slight lateral movement of the pipe orangular movement of the same, the tong may adjust itself to compensatefor such movements while remaining in tight gripping engagement with thepipe.

It will thus be apparent that the invention, constructed as describedabove, provides power tong supporting and positioning mechanism by whicha power tong may be readily positioned at a desired elevation over thebore of a well or moved aside and supported in an out-of-theway positionwhen out of use to make available a maximum space about the well borefor the carrying out of well operations.

The invention is disclosed herein in connection with specificembodiments of the same, which are intended as illustrative only, itbeing understood that various modifications can be made within thespirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimedas new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In apparatus for connecting and disconnecting threaded joints in awell pipe string, the combination With a power tong adapted to begrippingly engaged with a well pipe to rotate the same, of supportingand positioning mechanism for the tong comprising inner and outertelescopingly arranged trackways, means for supporting the trackways inan upright position for longitudinal movement relative to each otheradjacent a well bore, means for movably supporting the tong on the upperend of one of the trackways for horizontal rotational movement into andout of a position extending over the bore for engagement with the pipe,and means positioned for coaction with the trackways to impart relativelongitudinal movement to and hold the trackways in a selected positionof longitudinal adjustment relative to each other.

2. In apparatus for connecting and disconnecting threaded joints in awell pipe string, the combination with a power tong adapted to begrippingly engaged with a well pipe to rotate the same, of supportingand positioning mechanism for the tong comprising inner and outertelescopingly arranged trackways, means for supporting the trackways inan upright position for longitudinal movement relative to each otheradjacent a well bore, means for movably supporting the tong on the upperend of one of the trackways for horizontal swinging movement bodilyabout an axis common to the trackways to position the tong over the borefor engagement with the pipe and means positioned for coaction with thetrackways to impart relative longitudinal movement to and hold thetrackways in a selected position of longitudinal adjustment relative toeach other.

3. In apparatus for connecting and disconnecting threaded joints in awell pipe string, the combination with a power tong adapted to begrippingly engaged with a well pipe to rotate the same, of supportingand positioning mechanism for the tong comprising inner and outertelescopingly arranged trackways, means for supporting the trackways inan upright position for longi-- tudinal movement relative to each otheradjacent a well bore, means for movably supporting the tong on the upperend of one of the trackways for horizontal swinging movement bodilyabout an axis common to the trackways and for rotational movement aboutan axis spaced horizontally from said common axis to allow the tong tobe moved into and out of a position extending over the bore forengagement with the pipe and means positioned for coaction with thetrackways to impart relative longitudinal movement to and hold thetrackways in a selected position of longitudinal adjustment relative toeach other.

4. In apparatus for connecting and disconnecting threaded joints in awell pipe string, the combination with a power tong adapted to begrippingly engaged with a well pipe to rotate the same, of supportingand positioning mechanism for the tong comprising inner and outertelescopingly arranged trackways, means for sup porting the trackways inan upright position for longitudinal movement relative to each otheradjacent a well bore, means for movably supporting the tong on the upperend of one of the trackways for horizontal rotational movement into andout of a position extending over the bore for engagement with the pipe,and hydraulic means positioned for coaction with the trackways to extendthe trackways to and hold the trackways in a selected position ofextension relative to each other.

5. In apparatus for connecting and disconnecting threaded joints in awell pipe string, the combination with a power tong adapted to begrippingly engaged with a well pipe to rotate the same, or supportingand positioning mechanism for the tong comprising inner and outertelescopingly arranged trackways, means for supporting the trackways inan upright position for longitudinal movement relative to each otheradjacent a well bore, means for movably supporting the tong on the upperend of one of the trackways for horizontal swinging movement bodilyabout an axis common to the trackways to position the tong over the borefor engagement with the pipe and hydraulic means positioned for coactionwith the trackways to extend the trackways and hold the trackways in aselected position of extension relative to each other.

6. In apparatus for connecting and disconnecting threaded joints in awell pipe string, the combination with a power tong adapted to begrippingly engaged with a well pipe to rotate the same, of supportingand positioning mechanism for the tong comprising inner and outertelescopingly arranged trackways, means for supporting the trackways inan upright position for longitudinal movement relative to each otheradjacent a well bore, means for movably supporting the tong on the upperend of one of the trackways for horizontal swinging movement bodilyabout an axis common to the trackways and for rotational movement aboutan axis spaced horizontally from said common axis to allow the tong tobe moved into and out of a position extending over the bore forengagement with the pipe and hydraulic means positioned for coactionvw'th the trackways to extend the trackways and to hold the trackways ina selected position of extension relative to each other.

7. In apparatus for connecting and disconnecting threaded joints in awell pipe string, the combination with a power tong adapted to begrippingly engaged with a well pipe to rotate the same, of supportingand positioning mechanism for the tong comprising inner and outertelescopingly arranged trackways, means for supporting the trackways inan upright position for longitudinal movement relative to each otheradjacent a well bore, means for movably supporting the tong on the upperend of one of the trackways for horizontal rotational movement into andout of a position extending over the bore for engagement with the pipe,and means for imparting relative longitudinal movement to the trackwaysto extend the trackways including hydraulically extensible meanssupported on an axis common to the trackways and yieldable meanspositioned for coaction with said extensible means and one of saidtrackways to yieldingly resist relative longitudinal movement of thetrackways in a direction to retract the trackways.

8. In apparatus for connecting and disconnecting threaded joints in awell pipe string, the combination with a power tong adapted to begrippingly engaged with a well pipe to rotate the same, of supportingand positioning mechanism for the tong comprising inner and in adirection to extend the trackways and including yieldable meanspositioned to yieldingly resist relative longitudinal movement of thetrackways in a direction to retract the trackways.

9. In apparatus for connecting and disconnecting threaded joints in awell pipe string, the combination with a power tong adapted to begrippingly engaged with a well pipe to rotate thesame, of supporting andposii tioning mechanism for the tong comprising inner and outertelescopingly arranged trackways, means for supporting the trackways inan upright position for longii tudinal movement relative to each otheradjacent a well bore, means for movably supporting the tong on the upperend of one of the trackways for horizontal swing ing movement bodilyabout an axis common to the trackways and for rotational movement aboutan axis spaced horizontally from said common axis to allow the tong tobe moved into and out of a position extending over the bore forengagement with the pipe and extensible means positioned for coactionwith the trackways to impart relative longitudinal movement to thetrackways in a direction to extend the trackways and including yieldablemeans positioned to yieldingly resist relative longitudinal movement ofthe trackways in a direction to retract the trackways.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,181,641 11/1939Hicks 8157 2,450,934 10/1948 Calhoun 2142.5 X l 2,781,185 2/1957 Robbins2142.5 X 3,143,220 8/1964 Goepfert 2142.5

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

JAMES L. JONES, JR., Examiner.

1. IN APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING AND DISCONNECTING THREADED JOINTS IN AWELL PIPE STRING, THE COMBINATION WITH A POWER TONG ADAPTED TO BEGRIPPINGLY ENGAGED WITH A WELL PIPE TO ROTATE THE SAME, OF SUPPORTINGAND POSITIONING MECHANISM FOR THE TONGE COMPRISING INNER AND OUTERTELESCOPINGLY ARRANGED TRACKWAYS, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE TRACKWAYS INAN UPRIGHT POSITION FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO EACH OTHERADJACENT A WELL BORE, MEANS FOR MOVABLY SUPPORTING THE TONG ON THE UPPEREND OF ONE OF THE TRACKWAYS FOR HORIZONTAL ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT INTO ANDOUT OF A POSITION EXTENDING OVER THE BORE FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PIPE,AND MEANS POSITIONED FOR COACTION WITH THE TRACKWAYS TO IMPART RELATIVELONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT TO AND HOLD THE TRACKWAYS IN A SELECTED POSITIONOF LONGITUDINAL ADJUSTMENT RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER.